SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE TAA BENEFITS FOR SAPPI WORKERS IN WESTBROOK

U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor has certified Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers at Sappi Fine Paper N.A. in Westbrook. All workers who became totally and partially separated from employment on or after January 20, 2009 are eligible for the TAA benefits which include reemployment services and training, as well as job search allowances.

"While the news that their positions will be lost is devastating for the many dedicated and hard-working employees and their families, we are pleased that the Department of Labor has approved this application," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. "Trade Adjustment Assistance is critical to ensuring that the Westbrook facility workers and their families get all of the resources they need in the upcoming months."

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a program of the Department of Labor that helps workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or a shift of production outside of the United States. TAA provides these trade-affected workers with a variety of reemployment services and benefits to help them find new jobs and get back to work.

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